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One of Donald Trump’s loyal defenders —
“I will do anything to protect Mr. Trump.”
— flipped.
“I am ashamed
because I know what Mr. Trump is.
He is a racist.
He is a con man.
And he is a cheat.”
President Trump’s former personal lawyer,
Michael Cohen, has become a central figure
in investigations related to the 2016 election.
So how did this happen?
Cohen began working for the Trump Organization in 2007.
His job: to make problems go away.
Part fixer.
“They say I’m Mr. Trump’s pitbull. His right hand man.”
Part lawyer.
Two of those problems?
Trump’s alleged affairs with Stormy Daniels
and Karen McDougal.
Cohen says Trump directed him to arrange payments
to keep them quiet.
Cohen: “When it comes time for the financing,
which will be —” [Unclear]
Trump: “What financing?”
Cohen: “Well, I have to pay … [Unclear]
No no, no, no. I got —
no, no no.”
This deal,
among other things, caught the attention
of Special Counsel Robert Mueller
and in April of 2018 —
“The New York Times —”
“— just reported that the F.B.I. —”
“— raided the home and office of —“
“Donald Trump’s longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen.”
At the time, Trump stood by him.
“Good man. It’s a total witch hunt.”
But things changed after Cohen agreed
to cooperate with Mueller’s investigators.
“Mr. Cohen will continue to cooperate.”
“ —because he’s a weak person,
and not a very smart person.”
Both men say the other is lying.
“The man doesn’t tell the truth.”
“He’s lying,
very simply, to get a reduced sentence.”
In 2018,
Cohen faced multiple charges in two different cases.
Federal prosecutors in New York
charged him with campaign finance violations
for the hush money payments.
They also found evidence of tax evasion
and that Cohen lied to a bank.
Mueller’s team then charged Cohen
with lying to Congress about negotiations to build
a Trump Tower in Moscow,
a project which involved President Trump
and extended into the 2016 election.
Cohen pleaded guilty on all counts.
So what’s next?
Cohen was sentenced to just over three years
in prison, which he’ll start serving in May.
He’s continued to cooperate with prosecutors
and testified before Congress.
“I have fixed things,
but I am no longer your fixer,
Mr. Trump.”
“Michael Cohen!”